Our Board2024-03-04T09:40:45+10:00

Our Board

The Board is responsible for the governance activities of the service, deriving its authority from the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 and the Hospital and Health Boards Regulation 2023.

There is a clear distinction between the strategic role of the Board and the operational role of the Executive. The Board controls the service for which it is established, whilst the Chief Executive and leadership team are responsible for implementing the Board’s directions and for the day-to-day management of the service.

The functions of the Board include:

  • developing the strategic direction and priorities for the operation of MNHHS
  • monitoring the compliance and performance
  • ensuring safety and quality systems are in place which are focused on the patient experience, quality outcomes, evidence-based practice, education and research
  • developing plans, strategies and budgets to ensure the accountable provision of health services
  • ensuring risk management systems are in place and overseeing the operation of systems for compliance and risk management reporting to stakeholders
  • establishing and maintaining effective systems to ensure that the health services meet the needs of the community.

The Board has 11 independent members who bring a wealth of skills and knowledge across public, private and not-for-profit sectors with a range of clinical, health and business experience.

The following committees support the functions of the Board, each operates with a terms of reference describing the purpose, role, responsibilities, composition, structure and membership:

Board meeting summaries

The Board publishes a summary of the key points discussed and decisions made at each meeting. The summaries highlight key points discussed and any decisions that were made by the board. They do not form or represent any part of the minutes of the meeting.

Board members

 

B Econ, DipEd
Board Chair and representative on the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation
Appointed: 18 May 2020
Current term: 18 May 2020 to 31 March 2024

Mr Jim McGowan AM was appointed Chair of the Metro North Hospital and Health Board on 18 May 2020. Mr McGowan was previously Chair of the South West Hospital and Health Board and has significant high level public administration experience, specialising in the areas of governance, accountability, service delivery improvement and performance management.

Mr McGowan is a former Director-General of the Department of Community Safety, Department of Emergency Services and Department of Justice and Attorney General. Since 2012, he has held the position of Adjunct Professor, School of Government and International Relations at Griffith University and in 2015 led the review of the Queensland Industrial Relations system and related legislation for the Queensland Government. He has led the Taskforce on Occupational Violence for Queensland’s Hospital and Health Services which reported in June 2016, and in 2019 was a member of the Expert Panel to provide advice to the Minister for Health regarding Queensland Health’s Governance Framework.

On Australia Day, 2012, Mr McGowan was made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) “for service to public administration in Queensland through the development and implementation of public sector management and training reforms and to improved service delivery”. As Director-General, Department of Community Safety and Deputy Chair of the State Disaster Management Group, Mr McGowan has led key response agencies and co-ordinated the response to a range of disasters which had serious and widespread impacts across Queensland and the nation.

He holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Diploma of Education from The University of Queensland and is also a Commissioner of Declarations.

RN, BA, LLB, LLM (Advanced), PhD, MAICD
Deputy Chair
Appointed: 18 May 2013
Current term: 18 May 2021 to 31 March 2024

Dr Kim Forrester is a Registered Nurse and barrister at law. Her clinical background includes intensive and coronary care nursing. She is a member of the Australian College of Nursing and established the Masters in Emergency Nursing program at Griffith University where she was also a foundation academic in the School of Medicine.

Dr Forrester was previously an Associate Professor, teaching health law in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine at Bond University and is now an Honorary Adjunct Associate Professor.

As a barrister, Dr Forrester’s areas of legal practice include coroner’s inquests, professional regulation and child protection. She held the position of Assistant Commissioner (legal) on the Queensland Health Quality and Complaints Commission from 2006 to 2009, and is a member of the Queensland Law Society’s Health and Disability Law Committee. Dr Forrester was appointed as Legal Member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal in 2020, and since 2015 is a Member of the Nursing Panel of Assessors (formerly Nursing and Midwifery Panel) to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).

Dr Forrester is also the Chair of the Community Services Commission, Anglicare Southern Queensland. She publishes extensively in the area of health law and is co-author of Essentials of Law for Health Professionals, Australian  Pharmacy Law and Practice and Essentials of Law for Medical Practitioners.

GCertHServMgt
Member and Chair, Board First Nations Health Equity Committee (non-statutory)
Appointed: 18 May 2017
Current term: 18 May 2020 to 31 March 2024

Mr Adrian Carson joined Metro North Health in May 2017 and has nearly 30 years’ experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health across government and non government organisations.

He is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, which plays a leading role in the coordination of planning, development and delivery of comprehensive primary healthcare and integrated social support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across South East Queensland.

He has served as CEO of Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), the peak body for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Sector in Queensland, and has previously worked with both the Queensland and Australian Governments. Mr Carson has held directorships on the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the QAIHC, Health Workforce Queensland and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane Ltd.

Mr Carson holds a Graduate Certificate in Health Service Management from Griffith University and is completing a Master of Business Administration from The University of Queensland.

In 2024, Mr Carson was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to Indigenous health through research and development programs.

BBus (QUT), FCA, FAICD, FTIA
Member and Chair, Risk and Audit Committee
Appointed: 18 May 2018
Current term: 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026

Mr Bernard Curran is a Chartered Accountant and has practised in the areas of taxation and business advisory for a range of clients and industry sectors including healthcare. He retired as a Partner of BDO on 30 June 2021 after 30 years and continues with the firm in a consulting role.

Mr Curran has held directorships on a number of private company boards and serves as chair and a member of a number of Advisory Boards including in the superannuation administration, contract cleaning and fast moving consumable goods sectors.

Mr Curran holds a Bachelor of Business – Accountancy from QUT. During 2017 he was appointed an Executive in Residence – Visiting Fellow for the Accountancy School at QUT. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia.

Mr Curran has been actively involved in serving on not-for-profit Boards. He was the Chair of Crèche and Kindergarten Association Limited from 2012 to 2017. He also served as a Director of Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority during 2014 and 2015. He became a Director of The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation in 2008 and became Chair of its Board in 2012 until December 2018. In 2017, he was  appointed to the Board of Governors of the Queensland Community Foundation. In 2022, he joined the Management Committee of Caxton Legal Centre.

RN BNsg
Member and representative on The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation Board
Appointed: 18 May 2016
Current term: 18 May 2020 to 31 March 2024

Ms Bonny Barry has been a Registered Nurse since 1980 and still works as a clinical nurse. An oncology and palliative care specialist for many years, she has worked in community, hospice, hospital and clinic settings in Queensland and Victoria. Ms Barry is a committed trade unionist joining the RANF as a student nurse in 1977, she spent six years as a Professional Officer and Organiser for the QNU (now QNMU) assisting nurses with their professional and industrial practice.

Elected to the Queensland State Parliament in 2001, she was State Member for Aspley for eight years, and the Assistant Minister for Education, Training and the Arts from 2006 to 2009. Returning to nursing in 2012 after completing a re-entry course at Central Queensland University, Ms Barry has continued to work in the private sector as both a community nurse in retirement villages and home care and also works as a Nurse Care coordinator for one of Queensland’s largest Indigenous health providers.

She brings diverse board and committee experience, having served as a member of Metro North Board since 2016, as well as board appointments on Skillstech TAFE Council, the Common Good (TPCH Foundation) and the Australian Workers Heritage Centre at Barcaldine. Ms Barry is a member of Women on Boards.

Ms Barry recently formally identified as an Aboriginal woman and is committed to Closing the Gap.

B Bus (Econ), Dip HA, Grad Dip Commerce (Mkt), MAICD, AFCHSM, CHM
Member and Chair, Finance and Performance Committee
Appointed: 18 May 2016
Current term: 18 May 2020 to 31 March 2024

Mr Geoff Hardy’s extensive career in healthcare management has spanned over 30 years, including operational roles at Royal North Shore Hospital, Westmead, and the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne. After a period as Chief Executive at one of Ramsay Healthcare’s facilities, he established and ran their Malaysian subsidiary working closely with the Malaysian Ministry of Health in the planning of several major new facilities.

In addition, Mr Hardy has also worked as CEO of two Brisbane law firms and was Global Leader for a commercial advisory practice providing strategic and commercial advice to government clients around the world.

He has worked more broadly as an advisor to governments and private sector clients on significant infrastructure projects in the transport, healthcare and resources sectors. Mr Hardy is currently a Technical Director in the Healthcare Advisory team of Mott MacDonald where he advises healthcare organisations around Australia.

BEd (QUT), MA (Ohio), PhD (Qld), MAICD
Member and Chair, Community Advisory Committee (non-statutory)
Appointed: 18 May 2016
Current term: 18 May 2020 to 31 March 2024

Professor Mary-Louise Fleming is the former Head, Corporate Education and the former Head, School of Public Health in the Faculty of Health at the Queensland University of Technology. She has experience in teaching and research in higher education, public health and health promotion for over 30 years.

Her research activity focuses on evaluation research and translational research for the World Health Organization, both Commonwealth and Queensland Governments, as well as consultancy projects for Queensland Health and the not-for-profit sector. Professor Fleming has co-authored four editions of two text books on health promotion and public health, and contributed to several other books.

Professor Fleming is a Board member of Wesley Medical Research Institute and Chairs the Research Committee.

Her appointments have included Health Promotion Queensland, Board of the Wesley Research Institute, Board of Governors St Andrew’s Hospital, National Heart Foundation, the Queensland Cancer Fund and Chair of the Quality Management Committee for BreastScreen Queensland. She was also a member of the Queensland Government Ministerial Oversight Committee, Advancing Health 2026. She has an active consultancy practice involving reports on policy and practice for single health issues, policy development and implementation, and reviews and evaluation of numerous projects and programs.

MBBS, FRACGP, GAICD
Member and Chair, Safety and Quality Committee
Appointed: 1 April 2022
Current term: 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026

Dr Melissa (Meg) Cairns is a Specialist General Practitioner with over 25 years’ experience, currently practising in Ashgrove. Prior to that, she worked in Queensland Health Hospitals in Brisbane and Maryborough, and in General Practice in Brisbane and Toowoomba.

Dr Cairns is also a GP Liaison Officer with Metro North Health, Chair of the Brisbane North Primary Health Network (PHN) Clinicians’ Advisory Group and a Member of the Brisbane North PHN Clinical Council.

Meg is a member of a number of Metro North Health and Queensland Health committees including the Queensland Maternal and Perinatal Quality Council, and the Queensland Paediatric Quality Council.

Meg is passionate about improving patient care through collaboration across health sectors and through effective communication and education.

Dr Cairns holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Queensland, is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

MBA, BBus, GradCertDisRes, GAICD
Member
Appointed: 18 May 2019
Current term: 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026

Mr Neil Roberts is a former Cabinet Minister in the Queensland Government. He was Minister for the portfolios of Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services (including the Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and Emergency Management Queensland). He brings to the Board significant experience in the oversight of frontline service delivery agencies.

Mr Roberts has previously served as a member of various government and non-government committees including the Dental Board of Australia’s Queensland Registration and Notifications Committee and Australian Catholic University’s Queensland Chapter Advisory Board.

As a Member of Parliament, Mr Roberts chaired various Parliamentary Committees including Budget Estimates Committees and the Public Works Committee. He also served as Assistant Minister (Parliamentary Secretary) in a range of portfolios including Families, Communities and Disability Services, Employment and Training, Treasury and State Development.

He holds a Master of Business Administration (Corporate Governance) and a Bachelor of Business.

LLB, MPH
Member
Appointed: 18 May 2021
Current term: 18 May 2021 to 31 March 2024

Ms Nera Komaric has worked in the community and health sectors nationally and internationally for 25 years. Ms Komaric is an Adjunct Senior Fellow in the School of Clinical Medicine – Primary Care Clinical Unit, at The University of Queensland. She is a co-founder and Director of World Wellness Group, a primary health care social enterprise with its vision to create health equity by delivering health and wellness services in the system, while working on the system.

Her former roles have included Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CALD) Chronic Disease statewide program manager during which she has been instrumental in developing new and innovative strategies in chronic disease management for CALD population. Recently
she was a Croatian Government Focal Point in the European Migration Network. Before that Ms Komaric was researching and consulting with international and national authorities on combating trafficking in human beings especially for sexual exploitation
for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). She also spent many years working with newly arrived migrants and refugees.

Ms Komaric has a background in law, primary health care, public health and Health research. In her 30 year career she has been involved in the design and delivery of services, research and evaluation projects in areas covering CALD health, integrated
CALD models of health care, chronic disease prevention and management, and health services research.

Her main interests are in social justice and translating evidence into practice with a special focus on vulnerable populations.

MBBS, FRACS, GCM
Member
Appointed: 18 May 2019
Current term: 18 May 2021 to 31 March 2024

Dr Robert Franz is the Director of Surgery at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) and a consultant general surgeon. With nearly 30 years experience in general surgery, Dr Franz chairs Statewide committees for the Department of Health including the Queensland Surgical Advisory Committee and the Advanced Specialised Surgical Training Consultative Committee.

Dr Franz also has a particular interest in rural surgery where he was the director of Surgery for Toowoomba Base Hospital from 1991 to 2007; and was instrumental in the curriculum establishment for the rural doctors training program.

He has previously been a member of, and held the role of Chair, for a number of clinical committees including TPCH Surgical and Anaesthetic Services Committee (Chair), TPCH Gastrointestinal Services Advisory Group (Chair) and Rural Surgical Services Committee (Chair). Dr Franz also brings extensive medico-legal experience including WorkCover and AHPRA Expert Independent Assessor.

Contact us

Metro North Board
Located: Level 14, Block 7
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
HERSTON QLD 4029 
Phone: (07) 3647 9702
Email:  MNBFeedback @health.qld.gov.au

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